SATURDAY HEADLINES:The US ambassador urged Russia to sit down at the negotiating table with Ukraine. US Court sentenced Manateor Patten to associate with Yanukovych's government. No country in Europe faces such security threats as Ukraine, - Volker. Two Russian law enforcement officers ask for political asylum in Ukraine. Lomachenko in Los Angeles knocked out Briton Croll, defending his championship titles. Lomachenko broke his hand in a fight with Croll. The United States has accused Russia of destabilizing Nicaragua. 50% of Donbass residents against Ukraine's accession to NATO. In 2013, there were 94%.

The US ambassador urged Russia to sit down at the negotiating table with Ukraine

US Ambassador to Russia John Huntsman called on Russia to sit down at the negotiating table to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine

This is reported by Radio Liberty.

"We are deeply concerned about the territorial integrity of Ukraine, which has been violated, the Crimean anecdot and a long-lasting conflict in eastern Ukraine have not been resolved, nothing has been done in terms of positive steps towards the restoration of the borders of an entire and free Ukraine. It's time to sit down at the negotiating table and find some solutions, which has not happened in recent years, "said Huntsman.

US Court sentenced Sam Patten, a Manafort associate with Yanukovych's government

The US Federal Court sentenced former assistant to Paul Manafort, Sam Patten, for lack of registration as a lobbyist and illegitimate work in favor of the Ukrainian government of Yanukovych's times.

This is reported by censor.NET with reference to Ukrinform.

"A consultant who lived in Washington, Sam Patten, was sentenced on a Friday to three years suspended because he did not register as a lobbyist for the Ukrainian political party," notes the influential American edition of The Hill.

In addition, he must pay a fine of $ 5 thousand and carry out 500 hours of public works.

Patten at one time was associate Paul Manafort, former secretary of the presidential campaign Donald Trump. In August last year, he pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the investigation of the special prosecutor Robert Müeller, as well as on other matters.

According to Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who declared Patten's sentence, his crime is considered serious. However, given that he found guilty and collaborated with the investigation, the punishment was mitigated.

Patten's case attracted attention because of the fact that he was involved in an investigation by Mueller's special prosecutor in Russia's interference with the presidential election in the United States.

Russia does not want to fulfil the Minsk agreements, which can return peace to Ukraine.Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.

"We believe firmly that the Minks agreements need to be implemented fully. So far, Russia has not been willing to do that, but we remain prepared to engage, to do whatever we can to facilitate negotiations, the introduction of peacekeepers that it helpful so that the people of eastern Ukraine can get their lives back once again," Volker said.

He emphasized that the United States seeks "a genuine negotiation that restores the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as called for in the Minsk agreements."

The security threats faced by Ukraine over the last five years are unprecedented for modern European countries, US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said. He said this in a video address to the participants of the 12th Kyiv Security Forum on Thursday, April 11.

"We firmly believe that the Minsk agreements should be fully implemented. Until now, Russia has not expressed a desire to do this. But we are ready to participate further, ready to facilitate negotiations and the introduction of peacekeepers to help residents of eastern Ukraine return to a peaceful life," Volker said.

He noted that the United States is striving for "sincere negotiations that will restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine." "It is also necessary to implement political steps within the framework of the Minsk agreements. Ukraine has done a lot in this direction. And if we can create the necessary security conditions, we will be able to move on," the diplomat said.

"The United States firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," he concluded.

Volker also urged to help in every way the residents of the eastern regions of Ukraine affected by the conflict.

The Kyiv Security Forum was launched by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007. It is an annual event, a high-level discussion on topical issues of national security, the Black Sea region, security issues in Europe and global security in the world. Source:

Two Russian law enforcement officers ask for political asylum in Ukraine

Two officers of the internal affairs agencies of the Russian Federation appealed to Ukrainian border guards for political asylum in Ukraine.

Censor.NET reports citing State Border Service press service.

The Russians reffered to border guards at the checkpoint Hoptivka.

"These citizens are active employees of the internal affairs of Russia, who are being persecuted in Russia for their principled position on countering crime. The reason that prompted them to seek political asylum in Ukraine was hiding from persecution due to their official activities," the State Border Service of Ukraine informed.

Citizens of the Russian Federation told Ukrainian border guards that they "became the victims of persecution of influential people because they tried to counteract the spread of narcotic substances in pharmacies in the area of ​​their responsibility."

It is noted that relevant verification measures are being carried out on the objectivity of the information provided.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Russia of interfering in internal affairs of Nicaragua

This is reported by Ukrinform .

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo called the "provocations" of Russia's actions in Venezuela and drew attention to the Kremlin's attempts to strengthen its negative influence in Nicaragua, where the Russian Federation is trying to support "extremely incompetent" leadership.

"If we talk about hypocritical supporters of non-interference policy in Latin America, then we should mention Russians: Venezuela, Latin American countries should be concerned." The transfer of troops by airplanes and the opening of a training center in Venezuela are obvious provocations, "the US Secretary of State said.

Pompeio stressed that the Russian Federation has aggravated the already instability in Venezuela and seeks to do so in other countries of the region.

"As everyone knows, Russia has long-standing ties with authoritarian leaders in Cuba and Nicaragua, selling weapons, propagating lies, spreading all types of propaganda in these countries," said the US Secretary of State.

So, he said, in Nicaragua, Russians opened a training center for the police, as well as a satellite complex in the vicinity of the capital.

"The effects of the Russian Federation's participation in Nicaragua are, to put it mildly, not good. Citizens of Nicaragua are suffering, they suffer from a government that is making flagrant violations of human rights, stifle freedom of speech and refuses to admit its extraordinary incompetence," the US Secretary of State said.

On April 4, it became known that Washington was preparing additional steps to force the Russian side to cease support for the regime of Nicholas Maduro in Venezuela, where two Russian aircraft with military and equipment were recently deployed.

50% of Donbass residents against Ukraine's accession to NATO. In 2013, there were 94%

30% of people in the Donbass support Ukraine's accession to NATO, 50% oppose it. In 2013, 94% of Donbass residents were opposed to Ukraine's accession to NATO.

Such data in an interview censor.NET led by Iryna Bekeshkina, Director of the Democratic Initiatives Foundation. Ilka Kucheriva.

"50% in the Donbass region, 30% in joining NATO, and there were only 15% of the population all over Ukraine, and now.. I love this example. Mostly, against membership in NATO - it is Luhansk, Donets'k region, Donbass. But I compare, for example, with 2013. Then in those areas, for membership in NATO it was 0.3%. This was found by 1 on 283 respondents, I remember well, now there is already 19-20% for. More than ever, there were 94% against, and now against 50%, the rest have not been determined, that is, they are against, but nevertheless, we see that there is a very significant dynamics. And the dynamics are now the predominance of support for membership in NAT First of all, due to the fact that in these areas the situation has changed. That is, earlier in the West it was definitely "for", in the central predominantly "for".

Bekeshkina confirmed the previously reported facts that Donetsk and Luhansk regions are no longer the only ones in support of concrete candidates.

"We made the map of the first round of elections, everywhere is green." Speaking about the East and the South, there is also absolutely Zelensky, with the exception of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but he has the same result there, in fact, as well as their leader Boyko. these regions, where there was no "Batkivshchyna" or an FBI in the past, there are both Tymoshenko and Poroshenko, they are absolutely not leaders there, of course, but they are there .... they vote in the Donetsk region and in Luhansk vote for Poroshenko. Not the majority, but this percentage is even passable, if we talk about n Artyom. As monolith as ever - eighty-one percent cast a vote for Yanukovych and the Party of Regions, and there were a few Communists there, now it is not, "she added.

Sanctions against Russia united Democrats and Conservatives in the US Senate - US Ambassador to Russia Huntsman

The US Senate is the only one in the issue of sanctions against the Russian Federation.

This was stated in an interview with Radio Liberty by US Ambassador to Russia John Huntsman, informs Censor.NET.

"This question in the US Senate has brought together almost 100 percent of Republicans and Democrats," Huntsman said.

The diplomat recalled that the International Criminal Court in November 2016 ruled that the war in eastern Ukraine was an "international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation". In addition to the occupation of Crimea and the actions of Russia in the Donbass, Huntsman cited the findings of the US intelligence that Russia was trying to intervene in the US presidential election in 2016.

The US ambassador to Russia also mentioned the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skrypala and his daughter, Julia, and Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, whose death in 2009 led to the imposition of sanctions on the "Magnitsky List" in Salisbury.

"People in Congress are unanimous in their attitude to these issues and before we have to react," Huntsman said.

Russia through the social network affects the elections to the European Parliament, but less active than in the US and France - EU intelligence

The latest reports from the European Union's special services indicate that the Russian Federation's efforts are focused on the use of state-sponsored social media and media.

According to the DPA , the indicated media support friendly parties in Russia and critical parties to the EU, reports censorz.NET.

The influence of the Russian Federation is directed at young people. In particular, the challenge is to raise doubts about the importance of the European Parliament and reduce the turnout in the elections.

At the same time, Russia's efforts are less visible than in the case of the US presidential election in 2016 or the French elections of May 2017.

The Russian government categorically denied accusations and stated that the Russian Federation was not seeking to influence the EU elections, nor did it have such intentions in other elections.

It should be noted that the elections to the European Parliament will be held on May 23-26.